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African Caper White (Belenois aurota)

My garden had a new visitor today! A male African Caper White butterfly...


He was only interested in the Bachelor's Button flowers. He didn't even land on any other flower...


Also known as Pioneer White, these butterflies have a wet-season form and a dry-season form. The two forms are quite distinct phenotypes (What an organism looks like as a consequence of the interaction of its genotype and the environment).  This is the wet-season form...


The alternative phenotypes represent responses to the differences in behavior, environment and nature of predation. The wet season forms show prominent marginal patterns and colors which function in the deflection of attacks by vertebrate predators. In contrast, the dry season forms show very small or no spots and are wholly cryptic.


Binomial name: Belenois aurota  
Family: Pieridae



61 comments:

  1. Your butterfly puts mine to shame! It's the same type but oh your close up is wonderful!!

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  2. How lovely to have such a beautiful visitor to your garden - your close up shots of him are stunning.

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  3. Gorgeous entry! I have yet to capture the image of a butterfly this summer.

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  4. Amazing photos! Butterflies elude me!

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  5. Beautiful photos this week and an educational post.

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  6. Beautiful - I love the capture of it's blue eyes - amazing.

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  7. beautiful butterfly ... there are very hard to capture through the lens of the camera

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  8. Lovely crisp shots........


    You may also find Kenfolios interesting......

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  9. What a great shot!

    Have a good Blue Monday, Shiju.

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  10. Gorgeous shots of the butterfly!

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  11. Awesome butterfly show. I love them but see very few around here.

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  12. Wow! Absolutely fantastic pictures!!

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  13. Wonderful captures of this beautiful butterfly!

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  14. Your butterfly photos are made even more dramatic by the Bachelor Button pink!

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  15. That big blue eye is amazing. What beautiful photos.

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  16. Exquisite captures of such a beautiful butterfly!! Thanks for sharing the beauty, Shiju! Hope you have a great week!

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  17. a handsome visitor. i just learned what that flower is called, thanks.

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  18. Amazing captures. I played too. Mine are here and here.

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  19. Beautiful capture!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  20. Cool! I have not yet captured any butterflies. My daughter loves them.

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  21. Such a beautiful butterfly! Great photos!

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  22. Beautiful butterfly! Teresa from NanaHood

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  23. These are some lovely shots!!!

    We invite you to come and share via our hop: http://www.craftyspices.com/hops/wwhop
    Happy Wordless Wednesday!

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  24. the eyes on these are so amazing and you captured the details so sharply, well done
    come and link up with us on Travel photo Mondays....

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  25. Beautiful! And I learned something, too. :)

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  26. Incredibly beautiful photos and informational also!

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  27. I love the way you have emphasised the pattern and beautiful colour combinations. Thank you for sharing on Mandarin Orange Monday:)

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  28. The pictures are beautiful. The bright flower, and the yellow of the butterfly. It just turned out so well.

    Heidi’s Wanderings

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  29. Marvelous images! Not only do I love to look at flowers I also love to look at butterflies and the one you have here is spectacular! Thank you very much for sharing your photos with Today's Flowers.

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  30. Stunning photos! Butterflies not only are colorful but also so very delicate.

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  31. Gorgeous macros and very interesting post. Thank you for sharing, have a great weekend!
    BiTi
    http://www.pret-a-vivre.com/2013/07/my-dandelion-and-i-are-ready-to-waltz.html

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  32. Gorgeous!!! I don't how people are able to catch butterflies in their photos! I haven't managed to capture any. And such a focus, colors and everything. This is pure perfection! Fantastic work!
    Thanks for sharing & have a beautiful day :)

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  33. Beautiful butterfly and lovely captures!

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  34. so gorgeous I have a lot here also

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  35. Gorgeous shots. Happy Critter Day!

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  36. I cannot believe that blue eye! amazing macros....

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  37. Wonderful pictures of a beautiful butterfly

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  38. Nádherné fotografie motýľov!
    Zdraví Daniela, moja fotografia je z blogu Projekt 365/2013.
    Prájem krásny deň!

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  39. Your butterfly shots are stunning. I love the pink flower in the shot to give it more pop.

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  40. These are absolutely beautiful shots of butterfly!

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  41. Excellent shots of a very beautiful butterfly.

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  42. Just stunning! Love he blue/green eye detail.

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